Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-08


choice"
81 do not know what you mean" said the
old man. IL am a subject of Queen Victoria
and an Englishman. How them can l rebel
against any republic' l am an Englishman,
l say" he went on with rising anger, speaking
SO high that his powerful voice rang until
every Boer there could hear it, "and l ac-
knowledge the authority of no repub-
lies. This is my house, and | order you
to leave it. l claim my rights as an English
man
"Here," interrupted Muller, coldly, eng
lishmen have no rights, except such as we
choose to allow them.S
"Shoot himi" cried a voice
"Treat him as Buskes treated Van der Lin
den at Potchefstrooml" cried another
EYES, make him swallow the same pill that
we gave to DIR. Barber" put in third.
"Silas Croft, are you going to surrender"
asked Muller, in the same cold voice.
"Nol" Numbered the old man in his English
pride. II surrender to no rebels in arms
against the queen. | will shoot the first man
who tries to lay finger on mel" and he rose
to his feet and lifted his rifle.
"Shall | shoot him. baas'-shall l shoot
him." asked the one eyed Hendrix, smacldng
his lips at the thought, and iddling with the
rusty lock of the old fowling piece he carried
Muller, by way of answer, struck him
across the face with the back of his hand
"Hans Coetzee," he said, ego and arrest that
man"
Poor Hans hcs.tated as well he might
Nature had not endowed him with any great
amount of naCural courage and the sight of
his old neighbours rifle barrel made him feel
positively sick He hesitated and began to
stammcr excuses.
Are you going, uncle, or must denounce
you to the general as a sympathizer with
Engishmeni" asked Muller, in malice, for he
knew the old fellows weaknesses and cow
ardice, and was playing on them.
II am going OF course | am going,
nephew. Excuse me- a little faintness took
me-the heat of the SUM- he bnbbled. ooh.
yes, am going to seize the rebel Perhaps
one of those young men would not mind en-
gaging his attention ON the other side He is
an angry mani know him of od-and an
angry man with gun, you know, dear
nephew
"Are you goingN said his terrible master
once more
ooh, yes! certainly yes. Dear Uncle Silas,
pray put down that gun, it is SO dangerous.
Don't stand there looking like wild OK. but
come Vp to the yoke. You are Old, Uncle
Silas, and | don't want to have to hurt you.
Come now, come, come and he held out bis
hand toward him as though he were a shy
horse that he was endeavorinS to bcGril"
"Hans Coctzec, traitor and liar that YOU
are said the old man, IF YOU come n step
nearer by God. | will put bullet through
you
$50 on, Hans; chuck REIN over his head;
get him by the tail; knock him down with a
yokeskei turn the old bull on his back"
shouted the crowd of scoffers from the win
dow, taking very good care however. to clear
off to the right and left in order to leave room
for the expected bullet.
Hans positively burst into tears, and Null
Ter, who was the only one who held lis
ground, caught him by the arm, and, put
ting out all his strength, swung him toward
| SilaS Croft.
For reasons of his own he was anxious that
the latter should shoot one of them, and he
chose Hans Coetzee, whom he dsliked and
! despise1, for the sacrifice.
Up went the rife, and at that moment Bcs
| sic, who had been standing bewildered, made
a dash at it, knowing that bloodshed could
/ only make matters worse. As she did so il
i exploded, hut not before she had shaken her
uncle's arm, for instead of killing Hans, as il
undoubtedly would otherwise have done, the
bullet only cut his ear and then passed out
I through the open window place. In an III
slant the room was filled with smoke. Han.
! Coetzee clapped his hand to his head, anG
commenced to yell with pain and terror, and
i'll the confusion that ensuod three or foul
men, headed by the Kaflir Hendrix, rushed
into the room and spranS upon Sias Croft
who had rctreated to the wall and was stand
Ing with his back against it, his rii,, which
he had dubbed in both his hands, RAISED
above his head.
When his assailantS got close TO him they
hesitated, for, aged and bent as he was, the
old man looked like mischief. He stood there
like lion and swung the rifle stock about
Presently one Of the men struck at him ans
missed him, but before he could retreat Sia
! brought down the stock of his rio Oh hi
head and down he went like an OK beneath
poleax. Then they closed ON him, but fol
while he kept them off, knocking down an
other man in his efforts. As he did so tn,
witch doctor, Hendrix, who had been watch
ing for his opportunity, brought down the
barrel of his old fowling piece upon Slas
bald head and felled him Fortunately tn,
blow was not very heavy one or ii would
have caved his skull in. AS it was it only
cut his head open and knocked him down